Suboxone is destroying my body

[Lynn79]

So as most of you know, I have been on Suboxone for a year and 2 months.  I should have done a short taper, I was only on Vicodin, wish I knew better, blah blah blah.  I mistakenly listened to my dr. who said that this "miracle" drug could be taken for the rest of my life if I needed it.  I was taking one 2mg pill every morning, but about a month ago it began wearing off at night, and I found that I could not sleep.  I began adding 1/4 of a pill, so .5mg, before bed, to last me until I woke up and began my day again.  My stomach has not been okay since.  Of course I didn't attribute my problems to the Sub, because "professionals" say that it doesn't have any negative health effects.  I won't be graphic, but my bowel movements have not been the same, and every single time there is either black stool or fleshy pieces with bright red in it (i guess I had to be graphic to paint the picture...)  My body has just felt all around, sick.  I went to a gastroenterologist, who scheduled a colonoscopy for December 22nd, due to some blood tests coming back abnormal.  I realize that if I have liver problems or something, it was most likely caused by the year of Vicodin use, so I'm not blaming Sub entirely.  However, last night I decided to hold off on my evening dose.  I went right to sleep instead of taking that extra little bit.  Lord, how the flood gates opened!  I only slept a few minutes at a time because I was in the bathroom all night, finally getting out what had been blocked for months.  This has to be directly related to the Suboxone use, if it was my body not having as much that did it.  My question is, how are people on such high doses not going through this hell?  Or are you?  Is anyone else on Suboxone having bowel problems?

[Lynn79]

Well I will let you guys know the results of my liver tests and colonoscopy, because something is definitely wrong.  However, I will have no way of knowing if it is the Suboxone that caused it or if it was there from the previous Vicodin use.  Today I feel perfectly normal, and not like my body is shutting down.  It is because after I didn't take that extra little evening piece the night before last, my body emptied everything in there.  I didn't take the bedtime piece last night either, and today I feel good.  I am going back to my determined plan to begin a slow taper and see how it goes.  Thanks for the replies!

[ProdigalGirl]

I was on oxys for 10 yrs,  and prior to oxys had IBS symptoms and did not have  normal bm for the first time in years due to IBS and , had"normal" bm being on oxys. My first few weeks on subs were "he77" and my stomach was bloated and didn't have a bm. Even did enemas....yuck. But after a few weeks was normal again. Everyone is different. Talk to your doctor. During that period even dulcolax didn't help. Their is a colon cleanser, can't remember but it is on the site, perhaps a team leader can guide u on this one. Your bowels will and can return to  normal as they did for me. I looked and felt 9 months pregnant on subs in the beginning. I fear the w/d too, but we can do it!!!!!!! Toughing it out and prayers will help. Best of luck 2 u.


Prodigalgirl

[morganave]

My neighbor gave a Sub she had left from jail.  I kept it for months waiting until I had no narcs to take and w/ds got to be hell.  I took half a pill.  I felt better than I had in years.
She called and asked if  wanted to share a oxy, did not need it. Shock to me.
I took the second half two days after the first. Felt great. Relief at last.
I then saw the Dr again and got all my oxys and percs refilled.  I wish I had a supply of Sub here  so I could never go through w/d again.  Even on narcs I do not have a BM more than once a week if lucky.  Eat lots of bran. Rasin Bran etc.  I have such severe back pain that I can not stand more than 10 mins or sit more than 15 mins.  I spend the day switching between.  Shoveling snow this week did not help.  I do not know if I will ever be off the narcs.  But I would like to have the mind control to take them as I should.

[mammasisk]

iam also on subutex and i have ben having teeth problems big time they are chipping cracking and litterally falling apart and as far as the bathroom goes what bm thats all ican say but i had gastricbypass and i attributed to thisbut who knows i do know even with all this iam still glad to have had th subutex to take

[Nattefrost]

after reading imanaddicts post, I do recall RARELY having BM's when I was on subs. Never thought it was a problem but yes that happened to me when I was ON the subs.

[imanaddict]

I have been wondering the exact same thing! I too, don't want to be graphic, but I rarely have B.M.  ever since being on sub, and naturally that can't be healthy! I MIGHT be lucky to go once a month....literally. I've been on sub for over a year now. I don't know how long I'll be on it but I am scared to death of the WD's from it. I keep reading horrible things and I have been asking myself if it was the right thing to do. My Dr. told me that people can stay on sub their whole life if needed. My question is, is there long term effects from this drug? How much is REALLY known for long term use? Does it affect teeth? We know it affects bowel movements, but over time can this be hazardous? Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to Sub for getting me off the nasty pain pill habit, but I honestly wish I had only used it for a short period.

[Nattefrost]

Yes. I had problems. But it was when I quit suboxone. First 2 weeks of total diarahea, everything I ate went right through me in approx 1 minute, Then after 2 weeks having NO movments at all for days on end. Most of this was withdrawal, though, and after a month its pretty much back to normal. You'll be fine. about ochooked saying subs is a money maker........My first dose was a HALF a pill at 5:30am and it did kill the wd's ALL DAY and my doc then proceeded to put me on 2 and a half a day. Tells me the less subs I did the less money he would make. Keep going strong, you can get off this stuff. I did. So can you!

[ochooked]

Hi Lynn,  I am so sorry about what is happening to you.  But, I am not at all surprised -- It is my opinion that doctors who take the 8 hour course to become certified to prescribe Sub, know almost nothing about the short term or long term effects of it.  The problems come because, instead of doing research and talking to others who have used Sub, patients blindly trust their doctor knows what he is talking about.  It is a huge money make for the doctors who get their patients hooked on it.  I stayed on Sub just long enough to get really hooked on it and it took me a long time to get off of it.  However, looking back, getting off was the best thing I have ever done.  I just want to encourage you and let you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and you can and will reach it.  Please keep posting and sharing your experiences -- You can have a big influence on others who take Vicodin and are thinking about using Sub to come off of it.  All the best.